Cars and trucks and other vehicles are the major source of onshore smog-forming air pollution in our county; they are also a major source of greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. The District does not regulate vehicles or fuels – in California, that’s the responsibility of the state Air Resources Board. But we do address this pollution in several ways.

Land Use and Environmental Review

Land use decisions often involve transportation in some way. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires state and local government agencies to identify and reduce, if feasible, the significant, negative environmental impacts of land use decisions. The District has a number of responsibilities under CEQA. For more information, see this page.

Outreach

APCD works on cooperative outreach efforts to promote alternative transportation and proper car care for cleaner air. Other pages on this site describe these programs in more detail:

Alternative Transportation Options

Traffic Solutions is a division of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments that encourages alternative commute choices. For more information about their work and details about upcoming alternative transportation events, such as Commuter Challenge, Bike Challenge, and CycleMAYnia, see: www.trafficsolutions.info.

Voluntary Programs

APCD’s Innovative Technologies Group program promotes the application of clean fuels and energy projects. For more information, see this page.